Upscale Made Simple

By: Robin Whitesides

From: IGC Retailer, March/April, 2014

Jacksons Home and Garden, Dallas, TX

When Dallas residents want to dress up their outdoor spaces, they know Jacksons Home and Garden will have the specialty plants they desire, not to mention the perfect pot for their flowers, barbecue grills, patio furniture, fountains and anything else needed to host their backyard party - all under one roof. Serving the affluent neighborhood of Highland Park, Jacksons started as a pottery business in 1983. It quickly evolved to include green goods after Owner Bob Jackson realized he could create greater demand for his pots by filling them with plants.

Today, this one-stop shop gives customers a bounty of options among its 33,000 SKUs. In the garden center, a standout selection of unusual grasses, reeds, topiaries, perennials, tropicals and herbs meets their customers’ demand for the extraordinary. Merchandiser Laura Dial uses the choice inventory to create a lush look.

“I can sum up what my customers want in two words: instant and quality,” Dial says. “Price is not usually an issue.”

In the store, Dial maintains a very lush look at the front, where most of the more unusual perennials and plants are displayed. One main plant, pot, fountain or piece of garden art takes center stage as the focal point of the display, with a mass of beautiful plants surrounding it. A whimsical smattering of colorful blown glass bulbs, Chihuly glass art and metal sculptures displayed among the plants make meandering the store even more interesting.

Even though Jacksons’ demographic isn’t focused on budget-minded consumers, your store can benefit from incorporating the exquisite merchandising found here. You can, indeed, showcase all you have to offer using these sophisticated presentations and boost your bottom line.